Bracket



March 16,1926. 1,576,825

C. M. HICKMAN BRACKET Fild June 19, 1925 Patented Mar. 16, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLIFFORD M. HICKMAN, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOSEPH D. TQRETHAWAY, OF MONTCLAIR, NEVJ' JERSEY.

BRACKET.

Application filed June 19, 1925. Serial No. 38,378.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CLIFFORD M. H101:- MAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and use ful Bracket, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to brackets for electric lighting fixtures and more especially to brackets of that type adapted to be held to the fixtures by the incandescent lamps and which serve to support lamp shades in proper positions relative to the lamps.

In brackets of this type heretofore used all of the parts have been formed of metal and in many instances short circuiting has been caused by contact of metal on the plug portion of the lamp with the metal ring of the bracket.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a bracket of this type in which short circuiting is prevented by the use of a ring portion of non-conducting material, there being resilient fingers connected to this ring port-ion in a novel manner so as to properly engage and support a lamp shade.

A further object is to provide a bracket of this character which is simple in construction and can be manufactured cheaply and readily.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the bracket in position, a portion of the fixture being 1ndicated by broken lines.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the bracket.

Figure 3 is an enlarged section on 3-8 Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the insulating ring.

Figure 5 is a plan View of a portion of one of the fingers of the bracket prior to being wings 2 extended radially. The side edges of each wing preferably converge inwardly toward the ring so that each wing is thus given a dovetail contour.

Combined with the ring 1 are resilient fingers 3 each preferably formed of brass or other suitable resilient material channeled longitudinally as shown although, if preferred, the channel may be eliminated. One end portion of each of the fingers is broadened, as indicated at 4 and has oppositely extending ears 5 integral therewith. These fingers can obviously be stamped readily from sheet metal and when it is desired to assemble the parts the fingers are placed with their broad ends extending across the wings 2 of the ring 1. The ears 5 are then bent toward each other so as to grip and fit snugly upon the side portions of the wings as shown particularly in Figures 2 and 3. As the wings taper inwardly toward the ring 1, it will be apparent that when the parts are assembled as described they will not become detached but will remain assembled firmly. The fingers 3 will be extended at any desired angles from the ring 1 and can be sprung into engagement with a shade, not shown, in the usual manner. As the ring is of insulating material it will not matter whether the metal of any portions of the fixture or lamp come in contact therewith. Consequently there is no danger of a short circuit through the fixture due to the presence of the ring 1.

lVhat is claimed is:

1. An article of manufacture for attachment to an electric lighting fixture including a ring of insulating material, wings extending from the periphery thereof, and fingers clamped upon the wings for engaging and supporting a shade.

2. An article of manufacture for attachment to an electric lighting fixture including a ring of insulating material, marginal wings thereon, shade engaging and supporting fingers, and means at one end of each finger for straddling and clamping upon one of the wings.

3. An article of manufacture for attachment to an electric lighting fixture including a ring of insulating material, marginal wings integral therewith and having inwardly converging side edges, shade engaging and supporting fingers, and ears upon one end of each finger for gripping the converging edges of one of the Wings to hold 10 the finger assembled with the ring.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiiXed my signature.

CLIFFORD M. HICKMAN. 

